Padraig Harrington reveals why he rushed a shot at the Senior US Open — and how it could pay off later

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Padraig Harrington has positioned himself nicely after 36 holes of the US Senior Open.

He’s tied for the lead on six under after round two, with Mark Hensby and Stewart Cink level alongside him at Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado.

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Having won the US Senior Open in 2022, Harrington is still chasing his first win of this senior season.

But even after an excellent second round, the Irishman had words with on-course reporter Roger Maltbie after finishing his final hole — something not often seen from the two-time Open champion.

Known for his attention to detail, Harrington admitted to rushing his final hole of the day in order to avoid a restart due to incoming weather.

Why Padraig Harrington felt the need to rush his shot

Harrington spoke openly about the situation after his round, explaining how a forced return to the range could have taken a toll later in the tournament.

As reported by MSN, he said: “Birdieing the last hole, I holed a 20-footer, probably rushed my second shot with the thunder. I really was keen to get the second shot played because if you get called in and you’ve got a full shot to go, you have to go and do a full warmup, and that would be costly for the week if you have to go back to the range for a half hour or an hour to warm up. It’s going to wear on your body for the week.”

Harrington recently addressed the differences between competing on the main tour versus the senior circuit.

He noted the need to be close to the lead earlier in shorter events: “Very much on the Champions Tour because it’s 54 holes. 72 holes is obviously a bit better,” Harrington said.

“But I think they’re showing in most PGA TOUR golf now, you’ve got to be up near the lead. You don’t have to be leading but you have to be near the lead going into that weekend.”

Even if Harrington isn’t ahead after the third round, he’ll have an extra day to close the gap.

He’s in a strong position to end his three-year wait for another senior major title — if he can avoid further weather disruptions that might force him out of his routine.